1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to construction equipment, and more particularly to a tool for removing tile spacers from their functional position between ceramic floor tile, or other tile.
2. Description of Related Art
The term xe2x80x9ctilexe2x80x9d herein refers to any of various flat or curved pieces of ceramic, stone, concrete, or other material used to cover floors, walls, counter tops, or other surface. The term xe2x80x9ctile spacerxe2x80x9d refers to the small components a craftsman places between the tile to efficiently and accurately space the tile as he applies the tile to a surface to be covered. In laying the tile on a floor, for example, the craftsman applies an adhesive (e.g., thin set mortar) to the floor. Then, he places the tile into position on the adhesive while positioning tile spacers between the tile for proper spacing. Then, he lets the installation set overnight.
A typical tile may measure about eight to eighteen inches square by xe2x85x9c xe2x80x3 thick, and a typical tile spacer for use with such tile may take the form of a {fraction (3/16)}-inch thick, molded plastic component having a cruciform configuration and xc2xc-inch wide fingers that form the cross, such as the tile spacers available under the trademark SUPERIOR from Superior Featherweight Tools Co., Inc. of the City of Industry, Calif. Typical tile spacers have other shapes too. The craftsman places the cross-shaped tile spacer at the corners of the square tile as he lays the tile on the adhesive. Depending on the size of the installation, the craftsman may install as many as one thousand or more tile spacers. The next day he must remove all the tile spacers in preparation for filling the spaces between the tile with grout, and doing so can be a problem.
The tile spacers are disposed within the narrow spaces between the tile, below the upper surface of the tile. They are often so tightly engaged by the tile and/or by the adhesive that they stubbornly resist removal. So, the craftsman typically uses a needle nose pliers to pull them free, and that can be a difficult, time-consuming task. Although U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,780 addresses the foregoing with a pick tool intended to facilitate removal of the tile spacers, the pick tool can sometimes require awkward two-handed operation and pushing against the tile to deploy the pick in order to stab and remove the tile spacers. Thus, a need exists for a better tile spacer remover tool.
This invention addresses the concerns outlined above by providing a tile spacer remover tool that facilitates one-handed operation for better deployment of the tile-spacer-stabber (i.e., a tile-spacer-engaging member). Two handle members are arranged so that a user can hold them in one hand and squeeze them toward each other to deploy the tile-spacer-engaging member. The user can deploy it without using two hands and without having to awkwardly bump up against the tile, and the tile spacer pops off of the tool when the tile-spacer-engaging member returns to a withdrawn position.
To paraphrase some of the more precise language appearing in the claims, a tile spacer remover tool constructed according to the invention includes a barrel and a tile-spacer-engaging member disposed partially within the barrel. The barrel has a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a central axis, and a bushing on the distal end, and the barrel defines a bore extending along the central axis from a proximal end of the bore at the proximal end portion of the barrel to a distal end of the bore at the distal end portion of the barrel. The tile-spacer-engaging member is disposed partially within the bore. The tile-spacer-engaging member has a proximal end portion extending out of the proximal end of the bore and a pick-shaped distal end portion disposed within the bore. The tile-spacer-engaging member is disposed within the bore moveably for linear movement along the central axis of the barrel between a withdrawn position of the tile-spacer-engaging member in which the pick-shaped distal end portion does not extend out of the distal end of the bore and a deployed position of the tile-spacer-engaging member in which the pick-shaped distal end portion does extend out of the distal end of the bore.
Means are provided for spring biasing the tile-spacer-engaging member in the withdrawn position, and first and second handle members attached to respective ones of the barrel and the tile-spacer-engaging member. The first and second handle members are adapted to be held by a person in one hand and to function as means for enabling the person to move the tile-spacer-engaging member from the withdrawn position to the deployed position by squeezing the first and second handle members toward each other with the one hand. He does not have to push the bushing against a tile to deploy the tile-spacer-engaging member.
Thus, the apparatus of this invention significantly facilitates one-handed operation for better deployment of the tile-spacer-engaging member. The following illustrative drawings and detailed description make the foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention more apparent.